Practice golf ball



June 14, 19 L. F. ROSENBERG PRACTICE GOLF BALL Filed Oct. 31, 1951 jazz.

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Patented June 14, 1932 UNETEE? STATES LOUIS FRANK ROSENBERG, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND PRACTICE GOLF BALL Application filed October 31, 1931.

My present invention relates to golfing equipment, and has particular reference to apparatus that will increase the efiectiveness of beginners play and will produce more correct habits for addressing and striking the ball.

One of the most serious troubles confronting a be inner when taking up golf has been the tendency to top the ball. I have found that this fault is primarily due to concentration in trying to keep the eye on the ball, this concentration causing the player to maintain a fixed downward gaze at the top of the ball, with the result that this stroke is unconsciously aimed so as to hit the top of the ball; the actual impact of the club head is thus above the center of the ball, and the ball is topped.

I have found that this fault may be quickly corrected by using a practice ball which will force the player to concentrate his gaze on the exact spot where impact of the club head on the ball is desired; this advantageous result may be obtained in divers ways,

but preferably is obtained by painting or otherwise preparing the ball so that the eyes of the player are directed to the exact point where impact should occur for proper driving of the ball.

I have also found that the use of a practice ball as above described increases the confidence of the beginner because his drives are uniformly good, and that his interest in the M game as a whole is increased, thereby adding both to his lmowledge of the game and his enjoyment in play.

The novel practice ball also aids the beginner with his iron shots, as the lie of the ball may be changed so as to concentrate the players attention on the exact point of impact most advisable for a particular shot; thus if it becomes necessary to loft the ball, the practice ball may be turned so as to fix the eye on a point below the center of the ball.

With these and other advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel practice ball, for increasing the efiectiveness of a beginners play by coordi- Serial No. 572,278.

nating his gaze and the movement of his arms so as to obtain the desired impact.

Referring to the drawing,

L gig. 1 is an elevation of the novel practice. \a

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing a modified form;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the effect of the practice ball on the line of vision of the player, when mounted on a tee; and

l ig. at is a View showing the preferred 'lie when on a fairway.

Referring to the drawing, the surface of the practice ball 10 has a large dark section- 11 and a small white section 12; the dark '65 section may be of any desired dark color, but black has been found most suitable. A suitable width for the dark section has been determined as substantially -7 of the diam-., eter; it is also preferred to have a circular T0 boundary, although the boundary may be wavy or broken if desired.

It is preferred to form the sections 11 and 12 as complete segments for practice balls intended for driving practice; when the prac 75 tice ballsv are also intended for iron shots, it has been found desirable to use a modified form, indicated in Fig. 2 as 13, in which the dark portion 14: is half the size of the pre viously described dark portion 11. This modified form is also helpful when following the flight of the ball and when locating the ball on the ground.

The players gaze is thus concentrated on the white impact area, the dark portion operating as a camouflaged area for concealing the remainder of the ball from the players consciousness. When using the practice ball for driving, it is mounted on a tee 16 of the usual type, with the white area 12 to the right. The eye of the player is now focussed on the white portion, and therefore concen trates on the center 18 of the white portion, rather than the center 17 of the ball. Due to this concentration on the center 18 the club head becomes directed to impact at a point 20, substantially on the center line of the ball, instead of at a point such as 19, sufficiently above the center of the ball to produce topping.

hen the practice ball is on the fairway, or in the rough, it may be turned as indicated in Fig. 4, to bring the center of the white portion 12 slightly below, the center line of the ball, thus concentrating the eyes of the player so as to produce upwardly directed impact of the club head.

The novel practice ball therefore improves the play of a beginner, teaches the proper places for club-head impact, and increases the confidence and the :pleasure of the player.

WVhile I have described specific constructions for a practice ball, it is obvious that desired changes in the relative size of the dark and white areas, in the color of the dark area, and in the arrangement and character of the dividing boundary between the two areas, may be made, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

;I claim;

1. A practice golf ball having its vsurface divided into two continuous colored areas fhaving great'l-y d'iiferent perceptibility to the eye of a player, the area of less perceptibility covering a substantial portion of the area of the ball visible from one side, whereby one of said areas increases the concentration of the eye of the ,player thereon to indicate an impact area, and the other of said areas decreases the concentration of the eye of the player thereon.

2. ,A practice golf ball having its surface divided into .a continuous white area and a continuous black area, the black areacover- ,ing a substantial portion of the area of the ball visible froinone side, whereby the white area increases the concentration of the eye of the player to indicate an impact area, and the black area decreases the concentration of the eye of the player thereon.

Signed at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, this 28th of October, A. 'D. 1931.

LOUIS FRANK ROSENBERG. 

